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Three best bottles of red wine you should invest in are:

Yalumba – Barossa Shiraz Viognier: Deep in colour and complex in flavour, this variant originates in Australia and is extensively consumed in New Zealand as well. It is sweet and one can taste the floral notes of Viognier along with a hint of clove. The texture imparted by red fruits is soft yet very rich.

Cotes-du-Rhone Rouge: One of the masterpieces from France, this dark ruby coloured wine has an intricate flavour with notes of red fruits, raspberry jam and spices. Soft and fresh, this wine is one you should definitely stock up on.

Osborne – Solaz Tempranillo Cabernet Sauvignon: This beauty from Spain is a combination of Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon which are full-bodied and taste of sweet berries and mocha. It has earthy and spicy undertones to cut through the sweetness

Even though the price tags can be a bit alarming but its always good to know the guys at the top.

White Wine

White wine is made from green or red grapes and the only difference is that these grapes are fermented without their skins. Consumed cold, this kind of wine is usually paired with lean protein and lighter meals.

The best varieties of white wine to invest in are:

Santa Margharita Pinot Grigio: This variety of dry white wine is from the vineyards in Italy and is known for pairing well with almost all kinds of food. Known for its versatility, this light yellow-coloured beauty has under-notes of green apples and exudes a strong aroma.

Fleur Du Cap Chardonnay: Originally from South Africa, this exotic variety of wine has a delicious buttery aroma while the fermentation in oak barrels is responsible for lending under-notes of smoke, vanilla, sweet spices and at times, tropical fruits.

Cupcake Reisling: Even though the cupcake vineyards are located in California, the Reisling is imported from Germany. The alluring hints of peach, honeydew, white cherry and lemon are what make it so special. This white variety is a perfect blend of sweetness and citrus flavours.

These sure are the table toppers but that is not to say the less pricey ones are any less. There are brilliant but affordable White wines coming out of South Africa, Chile & Argentina.

Rose wine

Also know as pink wine, Rose, is midway between the white and red varieties. It is made by letting red grapes macerate with their skins on for a short time and the longer the skin is left on, the darker the pink is. It is a crisp wine and pairs well with salads, seafood and pasta and is a perfect drink for summer.

Three best rose wine bottles to spend on are:

Stolpman Vineyards Estate Rosé: One of the best varieties from the heart of California, this wine is made by pure Grenache (red grape variant). Picked early to preserve freshness, these grapes lend to the wine a fresh taste of strawberry with a hint of salinity.

Chateau de Trinquevedel Rosé: Sourced from Tavel in France, a region popular for producing only rose variants, this wine is made by directly pressing the Grenache grapes. The wine is aged for over thirty years and boasts of raspberry flavours with notes of garrigue.

Viña Stoka Teran Rosé: This rose variant from Slovenia is a medium-coloured pink, astonishingly light and a perfect refreshing drink to chill with in summer. Made from Teran (Slovenian grape), this rose wine tastes of fresh strawberries.

Sparkling wine

Sparkling wine is a kind of wine which contains varying levels of carbon di-oxide to make it fizzy. The best known sparkling wine is champagne. The carbon di-oxide might be added during fermentation of the grapes or injected later during bottling. The bubbly beverage pairs beautifully with mushrooms, seafood, cheeses, fruit-based desserts and shortbread cookies.

Three sparkling wine bottles you should add to your collection are:

Manicardi Lambrusco Grasparossa: The blood-red version of the classic Italian Lambrusci is dark, rich and full-bodied. It is deep red in colour and tastes of plums and black-cherries and pairs beautifully with aged-cheese.

Chandon Étoile Brut: This bottle of aged wine is known for its mysterious flavours of nuts and caramel which envelopes with under notes of honey. Extremely smooth and bubbly, this wine is known to leave a lingering spiced apple taste in your mouth.

Gruet Grande Reserve: This blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir is a serious and layered wine. It is dry and very rich and the flavours are an amalgamation of bread, caramel and white chocolate along with notes of apples and citrus.

Now that we have established the league toppers and we know some of the different varieties let me tell you it doesn’t really end here. No wonder Wine is a culture in itself and every wine making region has its own fettish- glasses used to serve the drink, cheese its best paired with or even the time of the day it’s best drunk . The exact moment it makes it’s presence at the table if at all.

There’s still a lot to learn about Wines but hopefully we have some of the basics sorted out.

I love my wine and I love them all. Its not always about the name I like it for what it is and as for the time well its always WINE time.